HM 32 — TRANSPORTATION FOR VETERANS TASK FORCE

HOUSEA MEMORIAL 32REQUESTING 54THTHE LEGISLATURE-UNIVERSITY STATE OF NEW MEXICO -OFFICE FIRSTFOR SESSIO,COMMUNITY 2019HEALTH, INTRODUCEDSCHOOL BYOF RodolophoARCHITECTURE “Rudy”AND S.PLANNING AND SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO IDENTIFY TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS FOR VETERANS LIVING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES WHO SEEK HEALTH SERVICES FROM THE FEDERAL VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND OTHERS.

Martinez9 andWHEREAS, Harrya Garciahigh andpercentage Randalof S.New Mexicans have military service-related health problems that qualify them for access to the veterans health administration;

Crowderand WHEREAS, the veterans health administration has rules and Eliseoregulations Leethat Alconare not well known and Debraoften M.misunderstood, causing difficulty for veterans to access health care locally and regionally within New Mexico or in other states;

Sariñanaand 7WHEREAS, 9excessive Atravel MEMORIALtimes, REQUESTINGscheduling THEchallenges, UNIVERSITYlong OFwaiting NEWperiods, MEXICOunpredictable OFFICElocal FORservices COMMUNITYat HEALTH,community-based SCHOOLoutpatient OFclinics ARCHITECTUREand ANDother PLANNINGchallenges ANDcreate SCHOOLan OFundue ENGINEERINGburden TOon CONVENEveterans, Amany TASKof FORCEwhom TOhave IDENTIFYserious TRANSPORTATIONand CHALLENGESmultiple ANDhealth SOLUTIONSconditions; FOR VETERANS LIVING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES WHO SEEK HEALTH SERVICES FROM THE FEDERAL VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND OTHERS.

e t 17 w l n d 18 WHEREAS, a high percentage of New Mexicans have military = = 19 a l service-related health problems that qualify them for access to i a e r 20 the veterans health administration;

and a t m m 21 WHEREAS, the veterans health administration has rules and d r e 22 regulations that are not well known and often misunderstood, c e s k 23 causing difficulty for veterans to access health care locally e a n b 24 and regionally within New Mexico or in other states;

and u [ WHEREAS, excessive travel times, scheduling challenges, .212704.1 long waiting periods, unpredictable local services at community-based outpatient clinics and other challenges create an undue burden on veterans, many of whom have serious and multiple health conditions;

HM 32 Page 1 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the university of New Mexico be requested to convene, by May 1, 2019, a task force to address specific needs for improvements to the state's transportation and health care systems when serving veterans;

and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force develop a strategic plan to address those concerns, including measurable e e 17 outcomes to help ensure that public investments in improvements e e n d 18 to that system are as efficient and effective as possible;

and = = l ] 19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be composed of a l r i 20 representatives of the following:

t e a t A.

the university of New Mexico office for m m 21 e d r e 22 community health, which representative shall serve as the chair c e r c 23 of the task force;

e a n b 24 B.

the university of New Mexico school of u [ architecture and planning;

.212704.1 - 2 - C.

the American hospital association center for HM 32 Page 2 health innovation;

and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be e e 17 transmitted to the president and the chancellor for health e e n d 18 sciences of the university of New Mexico, the secretary of = = l ] 19 veterans' services, the secretary of transportation, the a l r i 20 director of the New Mexico veterans administration health care t e a t system, the president of the American hospital association m m 21 e d r e 22 center for health innovation and the chair of the New Mexico c e r c 23 alliance of health councils.

eHM a32 nPage b 24 - 3 -25 u [ .212704.1